Review: Fierce Obsessions by Suzanne Wright

4.25-4.5 stars

**** 

This was a really good book! This ranks right up there with my favorites from this series, which is my favorite shifter series. This is Tao and Riley's book. Tao is an enforcer with the Phoenix Pack. Riley is a raven shifter who came to stay with the pack for sanctuary 6 months ago with young lone shifter kids from the homeless shelter that Mackenna worked at. Tao was suspicious of Riley when she first arrived, but gradually grew to trust her. Riley was attracted to Tao from the beginning, but didn't think he liked her. But one night after they both had too much to drink, they gave into their attraction and got together. Tao now wants a relationship with Riley, and though she is not sure he means it, she is convinced to give him a shot. They have to deal with trouble at Riley's previous pack but it only makes them stronger. They decide to have a forever relationship, and eventually find out they're true mates.

I really loved both Tao and Riley. They had great banter and sexy times. Tao was so sweet and protective of Riley. Riley was sarcastic and funny. They were so hot together too! There was very low relationship angst. I just loved them together. It was also fun seeing them interact with the kids, Savannah and Dexter, who became like their adopted children. I also enjoyed catching back up with the previous couples from the series.

There is a moment that gave me pause, when we found out the Tao had wanted to imprint on Taryn, the alpha female in the pack, before she was mated. I have read Taryn's book, but I had forgotten Tao's part. I wasn't bothered too much though. It was obvious that he really loved Riley, never loved Taryn and he never touched her. Riley was his perfect match, not Taryn. So I was okay with that. 

Overall, this was a very funny, sexy, sweet, and suspenseful book! I loved seeing Tao and Riley's relationship develop. I can't wait for more from this series and Ms. Wright!

****

Fierce Obsessions releases June 13th!

Buy link:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MXUSM1E/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B01MXUSM1E&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

Review: Blood and Bone by C. C. Wood

Blood and Bone

by C. C. Wood

4 stars 

****

This was a good book! I had not read anything by Ms. Wood before, but I won this book from a giveaway and it sounded really good. This was a wolf shifter book, and it ranked right up there with my favorite shifter books by Suzanne Wright. 

This is Chloe and Ian Lachlan's book. Chloe lost her parents and left her pack because she was suspicious of their deaths, but the pack didn't want her investigating. She joined another pack and found a home there. When she arrived she met Ian, who had recently lost his mate and was wasting away. She knew right away that he was her mate. She helped nurse him back to health, and fell in love with him, but never told him he was her mate, and he never recognized it. Now, 18 months later, Ian is healthy and they are friends, but she has given up hope that he will ever move on from losing his first mate and recognize her as more than a friend. So she leaves the pack to return to her old pack to try to secretly investigate her parents' deaths. When Ian finds out, he is worried for her so he follows her to her old pack. They agree that to keep Chloe safe, he will pretend to be her mate and help her investigate under the guise of "visiting" her old pack. Someone begins threatening her and danger lurks around them. Ian begins to see he is attracted to Chloe as more than a friend. Though he feels guilty at first, he soon realizes that his mate would have wanted him to move on after her death. He gives into his attraction and asks Chloe to help him move on. As they spend time together and are attacked by evil packmembers, Ian realizes he loves Chloe and wants to be with her forever, regardless of whether she is his mate. When Chloe's life is threatened, he realizes they are actually mates. They are able to solve the mystery of her parents' death and have their HEA too.

"Finding one's true mate over the course of a lifetime was amazing. Surviving their death even more difficult. But to have a second mate, it was a blessing beyond comprehension. It was rare."

I really liked Chloe and Ian. Often times the "dead ex" trope doesn't work for me, but I never felt like Ian really saw Chloe as second best. He was very sweet with her. They had great chemistry and hot sexy times together. I felt bad for Chloe because she doubted that Ian would ever take another mate and was still willing to accept whatever time he gave her before he moved on. But Ian never tried to make her feel that way; it was more her own fears and insecurities talking. 

I was a little confused about how mating works in this world. It seemed like more of a choice to accept a fated mating bond, where in other books I've read, if you do not accept a fated mating bond, you go crazy with lust and die. So I wish there was a bit more clarification on that. Also, I wanted a bit more conversation from Ian at the end where he actually told Chloe why he loved her or what he loved about her. I would have also liked a jump ahead epilogue so we could see what their lives were like together back at their own pack. There is an epilogue, but it focuses on the next couple in the series. 

Overall, though, I did really enjoy this book! I liked seeing Ian and Chloe's relationship develop. I will definitely be reading more from this series and Ms. Wood in the future!

Buy links: 

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2qBiTfm

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2qB1EKZ

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2oZzCeS

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2pb2rky

iBooks: http://apple.co/2qBiedx

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2q11XSn

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2s1S051

Review: Shacking Up by Helena Hunting

Shacking Up

by Helena Hunting



4.25-4.5 stars

****

Loved this book! Move over Pucked, I have a new Helena Hunting favorite!

This is Ruby and Bane's story. Ruby is a Broadway hopeful living in NYC. At Ruby's best friend's engagement party, she runs into Bane, literally, and he kisses her, mistaking her for his date. This mistake leads to her getting sick, losing her voice, puking during an audition, and losing her apartment because she can't pay the rent. She stays with her best friend, Amie, and meets her fiance's cousin, who turns out to be Bane. They hit it off right away, as friends. With Bane taking over a big role in his father's company and traveling a lot for work, he offers to let Ruby stay at his apartment to pet-sit his pet ferret, Francesca, and his pet tarantula, Tiny. Over the course of Ruby staying with him, they become close friends and fall in love.

I loved all of the characters in this book. I loved Ruby, especially. She was so funny, independent and sweet. Bane was great too. He was enamored by Ruby's vivacious personality right away. They became friends first and both were attracted to each other. While Bane was away for work, they talked all the time and video chatted. They pretty much dated (without either knowing it) that way and fell in love before anything physical happened between them. They had great chemistry and banter, and once they got their hands on each other, totally hot! They were really great together! I loved the pet aspects. All of the hilarious things they got into were so fun. I enjoyed Ruby's quest for a job on Broadway and her burlesque work, as well as the NY setting.

Overall, this is just a funny, sexy, sweet, low-angst book and I loved it! I hope this turns into a series!

*****

Buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2i7RiBV

CA: http://amzn.to/2qsuAZh

UK: http://amzn.to/2rcO0hS

AU: http://amzn.to/2s70W95

Nook: http://bit.ly/2j60eqA

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2j0Yug3

iBooks: http://apple.co/2ifH11F

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2qzbkED

Audible: http://adbl.co/2r4CeI7

******

Add it to your Goodreads TBR: http://bit.ly/2j5CxM6

Upcoming Release: When Life Happened by Jewel E. Ann + Chapter Reveal!

When Life Happened, an all-new standalone romance from

Jewel E. Ann is coming June 5th!

When Life Happened by Jewel E. Ann

Publication Date: June 5th, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Parker Cruse despises cheaters. It might have something to do with her boyfriend sleeping with her twin sister.

After a wedding day prank involving a strong laxative, that ends the already severed relationship between the twins, Parker decides to grow up and act twenty-six.

Step One: Move out of her parents’ house.

Step Two: Find a job.

Opportunity strikes when she meets her new neighbor, Gus Westman. He’s an electrician with Iowa farm-boy values and a gift for saying her name like it’s a dirty word.

He also has a wife.

Sabrina Westman, head of a successful engineering firm, hires Parker as her personal assistant. Driven to be the best assistant ever, Parker vows to stay focused, walk the dog, go to the dry cleaners, and not kiss Gus—again.

Step Three: Don’t judge.

Step Four: Remember— when life happens, it does it in a heartbeat.

****

Exclusive Chapter One Reveal:

http://www.jeweleann.com/when-life-happened-exclusive

****

Preorder exclusively on iBooks:

https://goo.gl/6TsEdH

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/2Nkk9h

****

About Jewel:

Jewel is a free-spirited romance junkie with a quirky sense of humor. With 10 years of flossing lectures under her belt, she took early retirement from her dental hygiene career to stay home with her three awesome boys and manage the family business. After her best friend of nearly 30 years suggested a few books from the Contemporary Romance genre, Jewel was hooked. Devouring two and three books a week but still craving more, she decided to practice sustainable reading, AKA writing. When she’s not donning her cape and saving the planet one tree at a time, she enjoys yoga with friends, good food with family, rock climbing with her kids, watching How I Met Your Mother reruns, and of course…heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, panty-scorching novels.

Connect with Jewel:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjeweleann/

Twitter: @JewelE_Ann

Stay up to date with Jewel by signing up for her newsletter:

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http://www.jeweleann.com

Upcoming Release: Salvaged by Jay Crownover + Excerpt!

 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jay Crownover continues her delightfully sexy Saints of Denver series with the next thrilling standalone, SALVAGED! Don’t miss the amazing excerpt below and pre-order your copy today!

   

Hudson Wheeler is a nice guy. Everyone knows it, including his fiancée who left him with a canceled wedding and a baby on the way. He’s tired of finishing last and is ready to start living in the moment with nights soaked in whiskey, fast cars, and even faster girls. He’s set to start living on the edge, but when he meets Poppy Cruz, her sad eyes in the most gorgeous face he’s ever seen hook him in right away. Wheeler can see Poppy’s pain and all he wants to do is take care of her and make her smile, whatever it takes.

Poppy can’t remember a time when she didn’t see strangers as the enemy. After a lifetime of being hurt from the men who swore to protect her, Poppy’s determined to keep herself safe by keeping everyone else at arm’s length. Wheeler’s sexy grin and rough hands from hours restoring classic cars shouldn’t captivate her, but every time she’s with him, she can’t help being pulled closer to him. Though she’s terrified to trust again, Poppy soon realizes it might hurt even more to shut Wheeler out—and the intense feelings pulsing through her are making it near impossible to resist him.

The only thing Poppy is sure of is that her heart is in need of some serious repair, and the more time she spends with Wheeler, the more she’s convinced he’s the only man with the tools to fix it.

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google

iBooks | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada

ADD SALVAGED TO YOUR GOODREADS

     

   EXCERPT: 

  Poppy 

 I rounded the corner at the end of my block and came to a halt. The puppy took that as a sign that we were done playing outside and started jumping all over my lower legs and pawing at my shins. He whined at me until I picked him up, and as soon as he could reach my face, his little tongue started darting all over my chin and cheeks. I wondered if he could feel the tension that made my limbs stiff and the anxiety that tightened all my muscles. I felt my breath catch in the back of my throat and there was no stopping my eyes from rapidly blinking to make sure what I was seeing was real and not a figment of my imagination. He looked like one of those black-and-white art prints that hung in every diner and restaurant I’d ever eaten in. The one that was a throwback to another era when cool was something you had to cultivate and couldn’t buy on Amazon. He was leaning against a black-and-silver car that looked like it should be on the cover of a hot-rod magazine and not parked on a busy and crowded Capitol Hill street. He had on dark jeans and a dark canvas jacket that had the logo of his garage embroidered on the front. His ankles were crossed on the curb in front of him and one booted foot bounced up and down, giving the impression that he’d been waiting for me for a while. His arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes were locked on mine as I stood still, unsure what to do. He had an effortless kind of charisma that radiated off of him. It was equal parts intimidating and irresistible. I was unsure if my feet wanted to rush me toward him or run me as far from him as possible. The puppy made the decision for me. Seeing another human, and thus another opportunity for pats and rubs, he threw his wiggling little body out of my arms before I could react. He hit the ground with a little yelp and then bolted right for Wheeler. I let out a gasp and took off after him thinking I could catch the end of the leash that was trailing behind him. I didn’t want him to run into the road or veer off into a yard where he didn’t belong. I was light-years away from being able to handle a confrontation with a hostile stranger that didn’t want the puppy in their space. I didn’t need to worry because Wheeler pushed his long, lean frame off the polished side of the car and reached the scrambling animal within just a few strides. He crouched down as the puppy hurled himself into his arms and scooped the excited bundle up in one fluid motion. Then he was rising back up to his full height, which meant he was towering over me when I made my way over to where he was standing. I was embarrassed at how out of breath I was. I was supposed to be stronger than I was before, but I could hardly handle a little jog up the block or the way my heart raced at the sight of him. I shook my head and put my hands on my hips as I looked up and into those arctic eyes. He was scratching the puppy under the chin and looking at me from under lashes that had the barest hint of red to them. “Why don’t you have a coat on?” It wasn’t what I was expecting but his question reminded me that I was cold and that the lightweight hoodie that had the Saints of Denver logo on it wasn’t doing much to keep the bitter chill in the air off my skin. The shirt came from the tattoo shop where both Rowdy and Salem worked and was probably the most exciting garment I had in my closet. It was the only thing I owned that was bright and colorful. I rubbed my arms up and down and fired my own question right back at him. “What are you doing here?” The puppy barked like he was telling me not to be rude but I was unsettled by Wheeler’s unexpected appearance, and not the typical unsettled that I struggled with because he was a man that I didn’t know. It was the kind of unsettled that made parts of my body I forget could react to an attractive man feel warm and tingly. The kind of unsettled that had me involuntarily leaning closer to him as he started to shift so that he could pull his heavy jacket off one arm without letting go of the dog. “I wanted to talk to you about the dog. Did you find someone to take him yet?” He shifted the puppy to his now bare arm as I watched the endless amounts of ink that covered his skin move and flex as he shook his other arm free of the coat. “Uh…not really.” The truth was I hadn’t really put that much effort into finding someone because I didn’t want to let the puppy go. In just a few days I’d grown surprisingly attached even though I knew I wasn’t allowed to keep him in my apartment. I’d already asked since Dixie was allowed to keep Dolly, but the landlord informed they were grandfathered in before the laws surrounding pit bulls in Denver changed. My little guy wasn’t that lucky. My response made Wheeler chuckle. He stared at me silently as he held out the coat he’d taken off in his free hand. “Put this on.” I stared at him like he’d suddenly started speaking Russian until he shook the coat again and frowned at me. His voice was serious and left no room for argument when he repeated the command. “Put this on, Poppy.”  

   

Jay Crownover continues her Saints of Denver series with SALVAGED, available June 20, 2017

Preorder and fill out the form here: https://a.pgtb.me/MdHvvG

Enter your name, email address, and the order number from your pre-order receipt on the form to receive an advance excerpt of DIGNITY and a Saints of Denver Doodle download to print at home.

Entries must be received by midnight PST on June 19th to be eligible.

The print-at-home Doodle and Dignity excerpt will be emailed the week of June 20th

   

About Jay Crownover: 

  Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men, The Point, and the Saints of Denver series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her dogs.        

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

Review: Buns by Alice Clayton

4 stars

****

This was a good book! This is Clara and Archie's story. Clara is in the hospitality industry. She lives her for her job, traveling around to different hotels consulting on ways they can improve their facilities and business. Clara's newest project is the Bryant Mountain House in Bailey Falls, NY. Her two best friends, Natalie and Roxie, both have recently fallen in love with the town, and their boyfriends who live there, and moved to Bailey Falls. Clara begins work on the Bryant Mountain House resort, where she meets Archie Bryant, the son of the hotel's owner, who runs it. Archie is very resistant to the changes Clara wants to make and does everything he can to halt her progress, but he gradually begins to see that the changes are good ideas. And he gradually, begins to fall for the fun and outgoing Clara. She is cautious about getting involved with him, knowing that when her project is over her job will take her elsewhere. She also is afraid to get too comfortable in her feelings for him because she was raised in the foster care system, where she learned that all homes and relationships are temporary. But Archie is pretty convincing and Clara has to decide to take a chance on love and finding a new, permanent home with Archie.

This book was actually a really cute, sweet romance. There was very little angst and pushing away in the book. There are a few things that surprised me in this book, but I can't share without spoiling the story. Suffice to say, this book has a trope that doesn't always work for me, but did in this case. The couple did start off as enemies and became lovers. But they had chemistry right away. I liked Clara and Archie a lot. They were really good together. I did wish for more resolution and a farther into the future epilogue. It seems Ms. Clayton likes to leave her readers to make their own conclusions about how the relationship goes in the future. 

I loved the glimpses of the other couples in the series and I LOVED that Caroline from Wallbanger (one of my fave books) had a part in the story too. . I liked the hotel setting and the characters who worked there. The story was different and interesting. The writing was good as always. Overall, I really enjoyed Clara and Archie's story! I think this is my favorite of the three books in the series. I will definitely look forward to more from Ms. Clayton in the future!

Buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/Buns-Hudson-Valley-Book-3-ebook/dp/B01MPZNNVO/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=ninapolitan-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=e2ffd3efd12b6134fcf6bf26071802c2&creativeASIN=B01MPZNNVO

New Release: Real Sexy by Meghan March

     

In Nashville, country stars are a dime a dozen.

I swore I’d never get caught up with one, but Boone Thrasher made a liar out of me.

I said I’d never put my heart on the line, but he didn’t ask before he stole it.

Now we’re facing my worst fears, and we'll see if this country boy is tough enough to see it through.

Girls like me don’t get happily ever afters… but maybe he’ll prove that wrong too.

 

Amazon | iBooks | BN | Kobo | Google Play

 

 

 

But first, read Book 1 in the duet:

      

I have everything a guy could want—a new single burning up the charts, more money than a simple country boy could spend, and a woman I’m planning to marry. Until she doesn’t show up for my proposal. The life I thought was so perfect, isn’t. The guy who thought he had everything, doesn’t. I’ve got my heart on lockdown, but life sends me straight into the path of a mouthy bartender who puts me in my place. Now the only place I want to put her is under me. I thought I was done with love, but maybe I’m just getting started. 

  Amazon | iBooks | BN | Kobo | Google Play  

  

  

  

Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She's also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she's ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | TWITTER | PINTEREST

New Release: Just a Little Junk by Stylo Fantome + Review

Title: Just a Little Junk

Author: Stylo Fantôme

Genre: Romantic Suspense/Comedy
Release Date: May 22, 2017

Blurb

Jodi Morgan is having a bad weekend. 

After partying a little too hard, she wakes up with a monster hangover and almost no recollection of the night before. So imagine her surprise when she looks in her trunk and instead of finding a spare tire, she finds the last guy she'd danced with before blacking out.

Who is he? How did he get in there? How did he die? And oh dear lord, did she kill him!?

When her older brother's best friend offers to help, things start looking up. They've known each other since she was thirteen, and ten years later, he still treats her like a little kid - surely, committing felonies has to trigger some sort of spark. Together, they wind up going on an adventure that takes them all over Los Angeles. From raves to penthouses to strip clubs. All in the search for the answer to her question.

Who is the dead guy in my trunk!?

Warning: This book contains some dark humor, a lot of witty banter, and two characters making more bad decisions than good ones. Also contains adult themes, language, and graphic sexual activity.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Review

4.25-4.5 stars

**** 

This was such a fun, sexy book! Romantic comedy at it's best! This book is best gone into blind, as there are a lot of surprises. Long story short, this is Jodi and Archer's book. Archer is Jodi's older brother's best friend, who in recent years has turned into her best friend, as well. Jodi has always had a crush on Archer but never felt like he was interested in her as more than a friend. They live in the same apartment complex and are each other's partner in crime. So much so, that the morning after a night out partying together, during which Jodi blacks out, she runs to Archer for help figuring out what happened... and how a dead guy ended up in her trunk! They embark on a hilarious romp as they investigate what really happened that night and how to get rid of the problem. 

Jodi and Archer were so funny together! Archer was charming and comes off as laid back, but there is much more to him beneath the surface. Jodi is firey and adorable. They had the best banter and chemistry. I loved both characters more and more as the book went on. They are witty, smart and sexy. They kept me guessing the whole book, but there was no doubt that these two adored each other and deserved to be together forever. Their sexy times were hot too! 

I just loved Archer and Jodi's story! This book was a sexier, funnier, edgier version of "Dude, Where's My Car?". I can totally picture this book as a movie. It is a romantic comedy, but still has Stylo Fantome's trademark snarkiness and the nail-biting feeling of wondering what is going to happen next. I love Ms. Fantome's writing. She is the most versatile writer I read. All of her books/series are so different from each other, but all are so good. I definitely recommend this book for a funny, entertaining and sexy read!

****

Purchase Links

99c for a limited time only

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Author Bio

Crazy woman living in an undisclosed location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a necessity!), I have been writing since ... forever? Yeah, that sounds about right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball - I also see shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I'm clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.

I like dogs more than I like most people, and I don't trust anyone who doesn't drink. No, I do not live in an igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the year, there's your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair - both a curse and a blessing - and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can't understand me.

Yeah. I think that about sums me up.

Author Links

FACEBOOK

AMAZON

GOODREADS
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Cover Reveal: Just a Little Junk by Stylo Fantome

Title: Just a Little Junk

Author: Stylo Fantôme

Genre: Romantic Suspense/Comedy
Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs
Release Date: May 22, 2017

Blurb

Jodi Morgan is having a bad weekend. 

After partying a little too hard, she wakes up with a monster hangover and almost no recollection of the night before. So imagine her surprise when she looks in her trunk and instead of finding a spare tire, she finds the last guy she'd danced with before blacking out.

Who is he? How did he get in there? How did he die? And oh dear lord, did she kill him!?

When her older brother's best friend offers to help, things start looking up. They've known each other since she was thirteen, and ten years later, he still treats her like a little kid - surely, committing felonies has to trigger some sort of spark. Together, they wind up going on an adventure that takes them all over Los Angeles. From raves to penthouses to strip clubs. All in the search for the answer to her question.

Who is the dead guy in my trunk!?

Warning: This book contains some dark humor, a lot of witty banter, and two characters making more bad decisions than good ones. Also contains adult themes, language, and graphic sexual activity.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Author Bio

Crazy woman living in an undisclosed location in Alaska (where the need for a creative mind is a necessity!), I have been writing since ... forever? Yeah, that sounds about right. I have been told that I remind people of Lucille Ball - I also see shades of Jennifer Saunders, and Denis Leary. So basically, I laugh a lot, I'm clumsy a lot, and I say the F-word A LOT.

I like dogs more than I like most people, and I don't trust anyone who doesn't drink. No, I do not live in an igloo, and no, the sun does not set for six months out of the year, there's your Alaska lesson for the day. I have mermaid hair - both a curse and a blessing - and most of the time I talk so fast, even I can't understand me.

Yeah. I think that about sums me up.

Author Links

FACEBOOK

AMAZON

GOODREADS
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM